What is the Broadcasting Accessibility Fund?

The Broadcasting Accessibility Fund Inc. (the Fund) is an independent and impartial funding body supporting innovative projects that provide solutions to promote the accessibility of all broadcasting content in Canada. The Fund will support projects that provide practical solutions to increase accessibility in broadcasting and that, whenever possible, make use of inclusive design principles to promote accessibility at the earliest stages and in the most cost-effective manner for new technologies and applications in Canada.

How was the Fund created?

The Fund was created as part of the tangible benefits package associated with BCE’s acquisition of CTV Inc. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved its creation together with initial funding of $5.7M.

How is the Fund to be governed?

The Fund is an independent and separate corporate entity that is responsible to its Board of Directors.

The Fund will be governed by the Board of Directors and that Board will make all the substantive decisions to set up and operate the Fund. The CRTC mandated that the Fund shall have nine (9) Directors on its Permanent Board as follows:

* Four (4) Accessibility Group Directors (one (1) elected by each category of sight, hearing, mobility and cognitive accessibility groups);

* Three (3) Broadcasting Industry Directors (two (2) elected by broadcasting industry business stakeholders, and one (1) elected by broadcasting distribution undertaking stakeholders)

Directors will generally be elected to serve on the Board for a term of three (3) years, and may be re-elected to a maximum of six (6) consecutive years. To ensure the continuity of an appropriate number of persons on the Board at all times, the term lengths for the initial Directors will be either two (2) or three (3) years.

The Chair of the Permanent Board will be confirmed annually by the Board from among the two (2) Independent Accessibility Directors.

Additionally, the Permanent Board of Directors will recruit an independent funding officer who shall be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Fund, subject to the direction of the Board.

FUNDING APPLICATIONS AND DECISIONS

How will the Fund make decisions about which applicants receive funding?

The CRTC directed that there should be clear rules with respect to governance, accountability and funding decisions of the Fund. The CRTC specifically required that the Fund provide efficient and accessible service in English and French and make available in both official languages the documents necessary for potential funding applicants, including policies, funding criteria and annual reports.

The Permanent Board of the Fund has recruited an independent CDO/Funding Officer who is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Fund under the direction of the Board. The CEO/Funding Officer will receive and, together with the BAF Grant Committee, evaluate funding proposals against the funding criteria and make recommendations to the Board for the granting of funds. Subsequent to the awarding of funds, the CEO/Funding Officer will provide oversight over funded proposals to ensure milestones are met and quality results achieved.

How can I submit an application for evaluation?

The Broadcasting Accessibility Fund (the Fund) will be issuing its fourth Call for Letters of Intent in February 2018. Details on what to include in a Letter of Intent, and the kinds of initiatives we’re looking for, can be found at Call for Letters and How to Apply. We also encourage any potential applicants to review our Mandate to ensure your idea is in line with the Fund’s objectives.